Serving 30-year jail term for abortion, Salvadoran woman released in 7

In a significant development, a Salvadoran woman, known as Lilian, has been released from prison after more than seven years following her conviction for abortion.

Lilian, 28, faced a harsh 30-year sentence in 2015 after giving birth to a girl in a public hospital, where the infant tragically succumbed to health complications three days later.

El Salvador maintains one of the world’s strictest anti-abortion laws, imposing a comprehensive ban since 1998. Lilian’s ordeal began when prosecutors accused her of neglecting the fetus during her pregnancy, resulting in charges of negligence and aggravated murder.

Maintaining her innocence throughout, Lilian, a mother of a 10-year-old daughter, expressed her relief upon release, urging an end to the unjust prosecution of innocent women in a news conference last Wednesday.

Advocacy groups, which had supported Lilian during her long legal battle, revealed that her release occurred in December, with the information only now being made public.

The judge’s decision to free Lilian hinged on the recognition that she was in a vulnerable state during the loss of her baby in the hospital. Despite the recent releases prompted by rights campaigns, many women remain incarcerated under suspicion of abortion, with some serving decades-long sentences.

El Salvador’s abortion ban lacks exemptions for cases of rape or when the mother’s health is at risk. Those convicted of terminating pregnancies face imprisonment ranging from two to eight years.

In numerous instances, the charge is elevated to aggravated homicide, carrying a minimum sentence of 30 years.

During the news conference, Mariana Moisa from the civil rights group Nos Faltan Las 17 emphasized the ongoing plea for justice, advocating for women to access their sexual and reproductive rights.

While President Nayib Bukele aims to enhance childbirth conditions in hospitals for safety, he has emphasized his intent to maintain the current stringent abortion law. With the majority of the population adhering to Roman Catholic or Evangelical beliefs, asserting the sanctity of life from conception remains a prevailing stance.